Vacuum cleaner



Feb. 20, 1923.

W. R. BARRINGE'R. 1,445,930-

VACUUM CLEANER.

FILED MAR. 9. 1921. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

awue/wl m MBEZ/Wkl f W. R. BARRINGER.

VACUUM CLEANER.

FILED MAR. 9. 192i.

Feb. 20, 1923. r

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. 3 M W a n i. l i M m N P 1 4 7 a w A z 7 V VV 0 3 3 Patented eb. 20,1923.

UNITED STATES PA 1,445,930 TENT OFFICE- WORTH R. BARRINGER, GRAN'DJUNCTION, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR 'IO THE A'JTO- MAID MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

VACUUM CLEANER.

Application filed March 9, 1921;

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, WORTH R. BARRINGER, a citizen of the United State's,residing at Grand Junction, in the county of Mesa and State of Colorado,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum Cleaners, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying, drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in vacuum .cleaners and more.particularly to a vacuum, cleaner adapted for use in connection with anautomobile, street car or similar vehicle.

An important object of the invention is to provide a compact andefficient unit for use in the connection described which may be mountedin the automobile or car by bolting the same beneath the floor, thefloorhaving previously been provided with an aperture whereby thesuction hose may be attached.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter in which the connection or insertion of the suction hoseautomatically energizes the device to cause the same to operate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentthroughout the source of the following deseri tion.

In the accompanying drawings herein for the purpose of illustration isshown a preferred embodiment of my invention and -wherein like referencecharacters designate like parts throughout,.

Figure 1 is a side elevation partially... in section showing anautomobile having a vacuum cleaning unit constructed inaccordance withmy invention applied thereto,

Figure 2 is a side elevation partially in section and partiallydiagrammatic of the unit, j

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof par tially in section,

Figure 4.- is a bottom plan view thereof, and Figures 5, 6 and 7 areviews of suction nozzles employed with the device.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10indicates a casing having its lower end closed and having mountedtherein a motor 11, the bottom of the casing being provided with. aircirculati-on openings 12 for-the admission of air to the motor.

adapted to ooact with a similar flange 14 Serial No. 450,958.

formed upon a head 15 for the reception of retaining bolts 14 wherebythe head may be secured to the casing. A copper gasket 16 is disposedintermediate the head 15 of the casing 10 and is provided cent-rallywith an aperture 17 through which. the armature shaft 18 of the motor 11extends.

The head 15 is provided with a reduced. upward extension 19 havingformed thereon intermediate its ends an outstanding flange 20. The upperend of the extension is adapted to extend through an opening 21 formedin the floor boards of the automobile or in the flooring of a car, thecasing being held in position by means of bolts 23 extending through thefloor boards and through the flange 20. The upper end of the armatureshaft" is rotatably mounted in a spider 24.- formed in the lower end ofthe upward extension 19, and the shaft 18 has secured thereto,intermediate the gasket 1.6 and thespider 24, a suction fan 25, theblades 26 of which are longitudinally curved and adapted when rotated todraw air through the bore of the reduced extension 19 and discharge thesame through an opening 27 formed in the side wall of the head.

The numeral 18 indicates a pair of contacts insulated from one anotherand from the casing and extending into the bore of the reduced extension19, at least one of the contacts being formed of resilient material. Oneof these contacts is connected by a Wire 29 with one terminal of abatteryB, this battery where the device is employed upon an automobilebeing the storage battery usually employed for lighting and starting.The other contact 28 is connected by a wire 30 with one terminal of themotor 11, and the other terminal of the motor is connected by a wire 31with the remaining terminal of the battery. The contacts 28 by reason ofthe resiliency of one of the contacts are normally held separated sothat the circuit is broken.

The numeral 32 indicates a suction hose provided at its lower end withthe male member 33 of a slip joint coupling, of which coupling theextension 19 of the head forms the female member. When the member 33 isinserted into the bore of the extension 19 it engages the contacts 28forcing them into aaaeso Any suitable cleaner or suction head may beemployed with my device of the usual type such as shown in Figures 6 and7 in which the body 34 of the head has the nozzle thereof substantiallyrectangular in form and set transversely of the head 34, as indicated at35. I, however, prefer to employ a cleaner head such as disclosed inFigure 5, in which the nozzle 36 is disposed longitudinally of the head34 and is provided centrally with a spiral brush 37, as I have foundthis construction to be particularly advantageous upon automobiles wherea large percentage of the dust is held in position by grease or oil, oris partially saturated with oil and accordingly very difficult to pickup with the ordinary vacuum cleaner. It is to be noted that the dirtdrawn from the interior of the car or automobile is discharged beneaththe flooring thereof so that the provision of a storage receptacletherefor 1s unnecessary.

From the foregoing it is believed to be obvious that I have constructeda vacuum cleaner which is particularly well adapted for use by reason ofthe facility with which it may be adapted to a vehicle and by rea son ofthe fact that the automatic closure of the normally open circuit thereofrenders the operation of the device extremely simple, and it willfurthermore be obvious that the construction of the same as hereinaboveset forth is capable of some change in modification without departingfrom the spirit of my invention. 1 accordingly do not limit myself tothe specific structure as hereinabove set forth except as hereinafterclaimed.

What I claim is:

1. ln a vacuum' cleaner for floored vehicles, a casing, a hollow headtherefor embodying a vertical tubular extension, said tubular extensionbeing adapted for engagement in an opening formed in the floor of thecar, a flange forming a means for attaching'the head and casing thereto,a'spider formed in the lower end of said tubular extension and providedcentrally with a bearing, a gasket disposed intermediate said head andcasing and having the armature shaft thereof projecting through theopening of said gasket and engaging in the bearing of said spider, anopening formed in the side wall of said head, a fan secured to thearmature shaft within the head and adapted to discharge air through theopening formed in the side Wall thereof, and a suction hose adapted forinsertion in the bore of said tubular extension from the interior of thevehicle.

2. In a vacuum cleaner for floored vehicles, a suction chamber adaptedto be disposed beneath the floor of the' vehicle, said chamber having adischarge opening and an extension having a bore forming a suctionopening, said extension being adapted for engagement in an openingformed in the floor of the vehicle and being provided with an attachingflange for engagement in the under surface of the floor.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

WORTH it. BARRINGER.

